1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prepared sheet and process for binding a plurality of loose pages of the same size together, and in one aspect, comprises a sheet corresponding to the pages to be bound in size with an extended adhesive coated edge which serves to bind the pages together along offset or shingled edges of the pages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The binding sheet of the present invention is adapted to replace various binding systems for a plurality of pages, up to about 30 pages. Prior binding systems for a small number of pages comprised staples, loose-leaf binders, mechanical fasteners, i.e., paper clips, prongs and fasteners as sold by Acco International Inc., Chicago, Ill. 60630, paper fasteners and washers as sold by Swingline, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y. 11101, plastic rivets, pins, slide strip binders and other jackets with built-in prongs for retaining sheets. Binding by the use of preformed covers having a hot melt adhesive requires a mechanism or tool for effecting the binding operation and therefore is not considered relevant. The shingling of sheets to expose a marginal portion of each sheet and binding them together by the use of adhesive contacting the edge of each sheet is known in the prior art. Such a binding method is taught by U.S Pat. No. 1,765,194, and 2,455,971.
The assignee of this application has several patents for tape products incorporating pressure sensitive adhesive for use in binding sheets together, i.e., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,888, 4,562,102, and 4,518,296, directed to an apparatus for use in binding sheets together with the sheets disposed with the adjacent edges shingled.
The present invention provides a single sheet which may be utilized to bind a plurality of sheets or papers together without the use of tools or fixtures. The sheet consists of a back cover with a band of pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on one surface of the cover along one edge and a release liner is provided over the adhesive to protect the same prior to the binding operation.
The plurality of pages bound together by the binding sheet reduces the storage space required and provides a very lay-flat binding for the pages.